Sometimes the world can seem like a big, bad place, and never more so than if you are unfortunate enough to be the victim of crime. Anyone who’s ever been victim to a burglary in the home or had their purse stolen in the street knows that the physical loss of property is only part of the problem – and a small part. The feeling of violation and insecurity is something that can stay with you for years.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that this sort of crime is actually far less common than the media would have us believe. Most people are honest and would not dream of touching other people’s property. The even better news is that with a little thought and some really simple precautions, the risk of becoming a crime statistic drops even lower.
Remove temptation
However “good” or “bad” your neighborhood, the thing to understand is that most housebreakers are not professional master criminals who carefully plan a military-style invasion. They are more typically opportunists. Unfortunately, busy moms sometimes provide opportunities. Returning from the store with a screaming child throwing a tantrum and a week’s groceries rapidly defrosting, things can get chaotic. One of the easiest things in the world is to forget to lock the car after you’ve unloaded everything. A useful sign to remind you is inexpensive and could save a whole lot of stress and heartache.
The same applies to the doors of your house. Did you know that 30 percent of burglars simply walk in through an unlocked door? As the little ones get bigger, keeping the doors locked also helps to prevent certain individuals from exiting the home, too!
Install an alarm
In a study carried out by a home alarms company, 90 percent of convicted burglars admitted that if a house has an alarm, they just keep walking by. Where alarms are concerned, the most important thing is to make sure its presence is obvious. Some householders even opt for the ultimate low-cost option of simply fitting a dummy alarm box to the outside of the house.
The real thing is obviously the best option, however, and today’s IoT systems can instantly inform you, your loved ones or the authorities if something or someone triggers the alarm.
A smart doorbell is a smart choice
The smart doorbell is a great invention. When someone rings at the door, you can answer from your smartphone, and the camera will show you who is there. However, they can’t see you, so they have no way of knowing where you are. A burglar doesn’t want a confrontation any more than you do, so if you are suspicious about the character at the door, all you need to do is politely but firmly tell them no thank you and say you are really too busy to come to the door. They will assume you are in the house somewhere, even if you are really 100 miles away.
